Special Opening Night to Honor Charleston 12

Sep 21, 2015

09/21/2015 3:13 PM -

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.- The South Carolina Stingrays, celebrating 23 seasons in the Lowcountry and proud affiliate of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL), will host a special Opening Night on Saturday, October 17 at 7:05 p.m. against the Reading Royals. That night, the Stingrays will honor and remember the Charleston 12 by wearing “Charleston Strong” themed jerseys that will be auctioned off with the proceeds to benefit the children of the families.

The evening will be Mother Emanuel AME Church Family Night, which will serve as a night to honor the many lives impacted by the June church shooting in Charleston. Nine people were killed and three others survived the attack. There will be a special puck drop in remembrance, and a member of the Claire Washington Gospel Choir will sing the National Anthem.

“The community has always been important to the South Carolina Stingrays organization and we’d like to show our love and support to the families of Mother Emanuel AME Church,” said Rob Concannon, President of the Stingrays. “This special night will give our fans and our organization an opportunity to rally around an event that has impacted many lives.”

To help pledge support and acknowledge their strength and courage during this very difficult time, the Stingrays will welcome surviving members of the horrible tragedy: Felicia Sanders and Polly Sheppard, as well as their families. Joining them will be Tyrone Sanders, husband of Felicia and father of Tywanza Sanders, who was killed in the attack.

“I had the opportunity to meet with Felicia and Tyrone Sanders, parents of Tywanza Sanders,” said Concannon. “Both of them talked about Tywanza being involved in our ‘Learn to Play Hockey’ roller camp as a child in the 1990’s at Danny Jones. We look forward to honoring him and all impacted by this event on October 17.”

The Stingrays jerseys that evening will feature a "Charleston Strong" theme. The motto has brought the community together in unity, and the design of the jerseys feature the Mother Emanuel AME Church Logo and “Charleston Strong” across the front of the uniform. A silhouette of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge appears on both sides of the jersey. The Stingrays will host an auction for the jerseys to help raise funds for the children of those impacted in the shootings. More details on the auction will be posted on StingraysHockey.com in the coming weeks.

Throughout the evening, the Stingrays will be collecting donations to benefit the children of the families impacted by this tragedy.

Individual tickets for Mother Emanuel AME Church Night go on sale on Monday, September 28 at 10 a.m. to the general public. 2015-2016 Stingrays Ticket Plans are the best way to guarantee a seat for this special evening, and more information is available by calling 843-744-2248.

Opening Night on October 17 will also feature a Magnet Schedule Giveaway to the first 5,000 fans courtesy of Savage Law Firm. The Stingrays will also be raising banners celebrating a historic 2014-2015 season that saw the Stingrays finish as the 2015 Eastern Conference Champions and 2015 East Division Champions. The evening will also feature free parking.

Do not miss a second of the action! 2015-16 Stingrays Ticket Plans are on sale NOW! Save money off of box office prices and get great benefits like FREE parking, Buddy Passes, discounts off of merchandise, advanced ticket purchases to North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center events and more! Click here to see all the benefits and options!

Download the 2015-16 schedule! Opening Weekend is Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 at the North Charleston Coliseum as the Stingrays take on the Reading Royals at 7:05 p.m. and 3:05 p.m. Download the Schedule